. >>> president obama sends congress his 2012 budget plan tomorrow. a proposal that includes more than $1 trillion in cuts. that may sound like a lot but republicans are saying it falls short. nbc's mike viqueira is at the white house to tell us more about this. mike, good evening. >> reporter: good evening. there's been a bipartisan calm over the capital since last year and lasting through the crisis in egypt. but with big budget and spending fights looming next week, all that is about to change. even as the obama budget was being readied for release this weekend the president warned it will reveal some painful choices on spending. >> it cuts what we can't afford to pay for what we cannot do without. that's what families do in hard times. and that's what our country has to do as well. >> reporter: today, top officials said the plan will put a dent in now record debt and deficits. >> we have a responsible budget that will cut in half the deficit by the end of the president's first term. >> reporter: the plan would freeze domestic spending for five yea